tours/weather

[duder2009]

Being a chicago U2 diehard, and listening to recordings of the show a few weeks ago on my mp3 player last night when the weather was really wild got me thinking...

what was the worst weather a U2 show has endured? I was hooked up through my work for the Rollling Stones Soldier Field a couple of years ago on a night in October which was 35F degrees with a wind of 25MPH. The tix were free (geat seats) but close enough where I couldn't stop thinking "these guys are going to die of pnemonia" but I was transfixed the entire time on Keith Richards dangling lit cigarette which defied the laws of physics for 2+ hours.

I digress... U2 shows are way bigger and more involved than "the bigger bang" so I just wonder what the worst all time weather related U2 concert experience is.

 

[4U2Play]

Some of the rainy European shows in 2010 were fucked up, Moscow and Zurich

 

[last unicorn]

Maybe it's just me but I think U2 has had particularly bad weather throughout this tour, from the very beginning 2 years ago. There was an unusual amount of rain, and also other weather extremes like storms or enormous heat. But the number of shows with pouring rain just seems extraordinary to me. Guys got wet a lot. It's strange because it was also raining for most other open air shows I went to in the last years.

Personally I don't like to be rained on all the time during a concert, no matter what people say about the atmosphere being better. I start to feel sick after a certain time, freezing, I get headaches and sore throats, and I start to feel bad for whoever is on stage. I prefer dry concerts. I don't mind a bit of rain, especially after a hot day, but not pouring rain during most or all of the show, no thank you very much.

 

[Galeongirl]

Zurich 2 was cut short because of the massive rain. Moscow was indeed disastrous too. Brussels 2 had some bad rain too but I don't recall it being as bad as Moscow or Zurich. And apparently last night in Minny it was horrible too.

Here's some pics.

Zurich2:

Moscow:

 

[coolian2]

the only band that could manage to create a pissing storm during a huge heatwave.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

If modern day NFL sidelines have heating and cooling systems, I'm sure the main stages at massive concerts do as well. If they don't, well, that's just plain stupid.

 

[gvox]

They actually continue to play their instruments with water pouring down on them..crazy..I guess they're grounded somehow. Also the mic typically will start acting up in heavy rain. Or you get lip shocks.

But more importantly: How is Bono's hair still so perfect in that torrential downpour? By rights it should be flat as a pancake!

Stiff gel bro!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Hair plugs

 

[digitize]

Maybe it's just me but I think U2 has had particularly bad weather throughout this tour, from the very beginning 2 years ago. There was an unusual amount of rain, and also other weather extremes like storms or enormous heat. But the number of shows with pouring rain just seems extraordinary to me. Guys got wet a lot. It's strange because it was also raining for most other open air shows I went to in the last years.

This summer has been one of the hottest on record for the entire United States, with the exception of everywhere right next to the Pacific Ocean (thank God I'm going to San Francisco in a few weeks). So that fits the pattern.

 

[digitize]

the only band that could manage to create a pissing storm during a huge heatwave.

I wish they'd play here in Austin. I'm sick of this fucking drought.

And I'd like to see a U2 show.

 

[cobl04]

I wish they'd play here in Austin. I'm sick of this fucking drought.

And I'd like to see a U2 show.

You get SXSW and ACL, so please stfu

 

[domo-kun]

Brussels rain was pretty bad, but Fro what I can tell by loking at the pictures, Minny was so much worse!

 

[EdgeFest]

I can't imagine that anything was as epic as Minneapolis. I think it rained hard for about an hour, easily...

 

[corianderstem]

Just when we thought it was going to stop, it would start up again - and POURED.

I was wondering if it was going to start hailing. Thank goodness it didn't.

 

[arw]

last night was absolutely magical. I think U2 should only play when it rains from now on!

 

[U2FanPeter]

Salt Lake City has snow when they were building the stage in 2010 - before word about Bono came thru.

One of the popmart shows got canned because of bad weather trashing a part of the screen. Some crew have denied the weather affected the screen.

Red Rocks 1983.

Truth be told, some of the heat waves may have had a more negative effect of the bands performance than rain.

 

[4U2Play]

Truth be told, some of the heat waves may have had a more negative effect of the bands performance than rain.

True, friends who were there said Bono was really struggling during the recent superhot New Jersey show.

 

[KEVIN051269]

Glastonbury was pretty bad but I think it was made worse by conditions underfoot.

Worst show I can remember for rain was Rotterdam opening night of Zooropa. Closely followed by Leeds Popmart and Chorzow Vertigo. The latter don't really count though as in both instances the rain stopped before U2 came on. At Leeds it gave a great opportunity for people to make mudslides down the grass banks on the field. At Chorzow it rained so hard during The Killers set that Brandon Flowers got into a right strop and they left the stage after playing for about 20mins!

 

[cobl04]

Kings of Leon got shit on by a pidgeon and walked off.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Lightweights...

The Longest Day 1985 Milton Keynes. It apparently rained ALL day, through six bands

I wish pictures of Popmart Sydney were about, we had the thunderstorm for about a third of U2's set or so I reckon. We wuz soaked!

 

[KEVIN051269]

Lightweights...

The Longest Day 1985 Milton Keynes. It apparently rained ALL day, through six bands

I wish pictures of Popmart Sydney were about, we had the thunderstorm for about a third of U2's set or so I reckon. We wuz soaked!

I forgot the Milton Keynes show. I didn't go but my mate went and said the place was like one big cesspit

 

[coolian2]

I forgot the Milton Keynes show. I didn't go but my mate went and said the place was like one big cesspit

that's milton keynes, what about the show though?

 

[KEVIN051269]

that's milton keynes, what about the show though?

You've been there then?

 

[coolian2]

stereotypes exist for a reason!

 

[U2FanPeter]

Wasn't there a sandstorm during the Vertigo video shoot in Spain? Not sure why that entire video couldn't have been done on a soundstage.

Also, I think the group has griped about having to shoot a couple early music videos in the snow outdoor, like NYD.

 

[digitize]

You get SXSW and ACL, so please stfu

The ACL lineup is pretty awesome this year...

 

[Galeongirl]

Wasn't there a sandstorm during the Vertigo video shoot in Spain? Not sure why that entire video couldn't have been done on a soundstage.

Also, I think the group has griped about having to shoot a couple early music videos in the snow outdoor, like NYD.

Yup on both accounts. Snow was also particulary bad on the UF video shoot, it was so cold they had to stop a couple of times cause they couldn't even pretend to be playing anymore due to frozen fingers.

 

[hand0lotion]

I hope the band doesn't get sick after the Minny show. I was there, after sun, rain, sun again in GA line, then RAAAAIN during the concert, I'm a little sick now (but that spiritual experience was totally worth it). But I'm sure the crew knows how to take care of them, like getting them out of their wet clothes and into bathrobes (a la Chicago Vertigo bonus disc DVD) before they got into their cars to leave the stadium.

I also started wondering if the band books 'contingency' hotel rooms at each city for the night of the concert. I'm sure they would want a nice bath and not to hop on their plane straight away after Minny's show. (with what I've been reading on here recently, they fly into the city on the late afternoon of show day, and fly out right after the show)

 

[U2FanPeter]

I also started wondering if the band books 'contingency' hotel rooms at each city for the night of the concert. I'm sure they would want a nice bath and not to hop on their plane straight away after Minny's show. (with what I've been reading on here recently, they fly into the city on the late afternoon of show day, and fly out right after the show)

The plane has a fully equiped bathroom or two. Nothing like commercial flights.

There's stories in some u2 books about Bono arriving at home in Dublin after Euro shows on the Zooropa Tour with his MacPhisto make-up still on.

 

[Pop Artist]

This summer has been one of the hottest on record for the entire United States, with the exception of everywhere right next to the Pacific Ocean (thank God I'm going to San Francisco in a few weeks). So that fits the pattern.

They booked this leg a bit backwards as the west coast does have the more moderate weather this time of year...should've started Miami/Nashville in late May, then swung up to Baltimore/New York, then over to Pittsburgh and Midwest, then down to St.Louis/Denver/SLC, then over to Anaheim and up the coast, then all the Canada dates in a row west to east. At least there probably would've been less extreme heat during the shows.